Conversion - Gastric Band to Gastric Sleeve

Your first appointment

Your journey with The Hospital Group begins with a telephone consultation with our friendly surgeon assistants. During this conversation you can talk through why you’re interested in surgery, how much it costs, the finance options available to you, how much recovery time you’ll need, and potential surgery dates. Whenever you decide to book a surgery date, you can secure it for a minimum refundable deposit of £500.

If you would like to proceed, we will book your free weight loss consultation.

Surgical consultation

During the consultation with your surgeon, you will talk about your goals for surgery and go through your medical history to ascertain whether you are a suitable candidate for this procedure. You will also discuss the results you might expect, as well as the possible risks and complications of surgery. You will then be referred to a clinic nurse for pre-operative assessments and tests and a dietitian for discussion and advice on the pre- and post-operative diet.

The surgery

You will meet your surgeon on the day of your surgery so that you can talk through any final questions you might have and read through the consent form. The whole surgical team will be introduced to you before heading into theatre for the procedure.

The specifics of surgery will be discussed prior to the day – you will find out how long it will take, the types of anaesthetics used, and they will talk you through the procedure itself.

Recovery

Following weight loss surgery, you will need to stay in hospital for the initial stages of your recovery. You will likely feel swollen and in some pain following the procedure. Our friendly nursing team will be on hand to look after you and provide any painkillers you might need.

Immediately after surgery, you will be given intravenous drip hydration so that your fluid levels are maintained. The procedure is carried out under general anaesthetic, so you will need to arrange for someone to drive you home when you are discharged. We recommend that you have someone with you until the effects of the anaesthetic wear off.

We will talk you through taking care of yourself at home before you leave hospital. There is also a 24/7 helpline available to you where you can call a member of the clinical team at any time for support.

Aftercare

The surgery itself is only the beginning, and we believe in the highest standard of aftercare following your procedure. Your body needs time to heal, and you will need to stay off work until you feel ready to return. You should also avoid any heavy lifting or strenuous activity for around six weeks. Recovery periods can be discussed with your surgeon before the procedure.

There are a number of different aftercare packages available to help aid you in your weight loss journey and these will be discussed during your consultation process. You can read more about these on our aftercare page.